Mechanical Engineer, Kinematic Systems and Mechanisms

About the role

Helsing is a defence AI company. Our mission is to protect our democracies. We aim to achieve technological leadership, so that open societies can continue to make sovereign decisions and control their ethical standards. As democracies, we believe we have a special responsibility to be thoughtful about the development and deployment of powerful technologies like AI. We take this responsibility seriously. We are an ambitious and committed team of engineers, AI specialists and customer-facing programme managers. We are looking for mission-driven people to join our European teams - and apply their skills to solve the most complex and impactful problems. We embrace an open and transparent culture that welcomes healthy debates on the use of technology in defence, its benefits, and its ethical implications. As Mechanical Engineer, Kinematic Systems and Mechanisms, you will own the design, analysis and validation of high-performance moving systems for Helsing's drone platforms, from deployment mechanisms and folding structures through to landing gears and robotic joints. Working across kinematic synthesis, multi-body dynamics, precision engineering and hands-on prototype iteration, you will translate complex mechanical requirements into flight-worthy, testable hardware. The day-to-day Own mechanism architecture from concept through to validated hardware, performing kinematic synthesis, multi-body dynamics analysis, torque and force profiling and FEA to ensure every moving system meets structural, performance and weight requirements before design is committed Select and integrate electro-mechanical actuators, precision bearings, gearboxes, linkages and structural joints, applying advanced GD&T to ASME Y14.5 or ISO 1101 standards to control backlash, alignment and thermal expansion across complex moving assemblies Build and iterate functional mechanism prototypes hands-on, evaluating kinematic behaviour and structural integrity under operationally relevant conditions, and design lifetime and fatigue test campaigns that validate analytical models and drive technical maturation Produce robust 3D models, 2D manufacturing drawings, kinematic analysis reports and design documentation that meet aerospace quality standards, ensuring full traceability from requirement through to verified design output Collaborate with systems, structures and avionics teams across design reviews and integration milestones, ensuring kinematic assemblies interface correctly with the broader airframe and that mechanism reliability is maintained across the full range of environmental and operational conditions You should apply if you Have designed and delivered complex kinematic mechanisms and moving systems for aerospace, drone or similarly demanding applications, with demonstrated proficiency in multi-body dynamics tools such as MSC Adams, MotionSolve or SolidWorks Motion alongside FEA for structural validation Are proficient in 3D and 2D CAD and PLM workflows using SolidWorks/PDM or Siemens NX/Teamcenter, and can apply advanced GD&T and statistical tolerance stack-up analysis to control precision and fit in complex moving assemblies Have selected and integrated precision mechanical components, including bearings, gearboxes, ball screws and high-strength fasteners, with a working knowledge of aerospace-grade materials and manufacturing processes including CNC machining, composites and additive manufacturing Have set up test rigs and executed functional, environmental and lifetime test campaigns on kinematic systems, using physical test data to correlate and refine analytical models Act decisively with minimal guidance, own outcomes end-to-end and initiate solutions without waiting for direction Note: We operate in an industry where women, as well as other minority groups, are systematically under-represented. We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the listed qualifications; ability and impact cannot be summarised in a few bullet points.

Requirements

• Experience designing mechanisms for harsh or constrained operational environments, including consideration of wear, lubrication, friction, stiffness and thermal compliance across extended service lifetimes
• Familiarity with Hardware-in-the-Loop test environments and their application to kinematic system validation within iterative drone or UAV development programmes
• Join Helsing and work with world-leading experts in their fields
• Helsing's work is important. You'll be directly contributing to the protection of democratic countries while balancing both ethical and geopolitical concerns
• The work is unique. We operate in a domain that has highly unusual technical requirements and constraints, and where robustness, safety, and ethical considerations are vital. You will face unique Engineering and AI challenges that make a meaningful impact in the world
• Our work frequently takes us right up to the state of the art in technical innovation, be it r

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